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	Wimpys Little Step & Flarida make History-Again! Oklahoma City, Okla. - It has been six years since Shawn Flarida won his first NRHA Open Futurity title on Wimpys Little Step, in a run that still holds the record for the highest score in NRHA Futurity history. Fitting that at the 2008 show, both Flarida and Wimpys Little Step were again in the spotlight, this time as millionaires. Flarida unofficially became NRHA's first Three Million Dollar Rider, while Wimpys Little Step unofficially became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire, making history again as the youngest sire to ever reach the historic milestone. Flarida, of Springfield, Ohio, became the second rider in history to break the $2 Million mark in 2006 at the FEI World Reining Masters in Denver, Colorado. Bill Horn was the first rider to earn in excess of $1 Million and Tim McQuay is the only other rider to cross the $2 Million earnings level. A mere twelve other riders have crossed the $1 Million earnings plateau in addition to Flarida. Flarida's career of showing at NRHA-approved began as a youth competitor in 1981. Since then, he has competed at and won nearly every major reining event in the world. As Flarida's talent with a horse has propelled him to the very top of the industry, he keeps on writing his name in the history books.
Earlier this year, Flarida became the first-ever reiner to win a "Triple Crown," having won the NRHA Futurity, National Reining Breeders Classic and NRHA Derby aboard Wimpys Little Chic, and now he can add "NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider" to his already stellar resume. Wimpys Little Step, owned by Mark Schols of Nashville, Tenn., is by NRHA Million Dollar Sire Nu Chex To Cash and out of Leolita Step. In the reining arena, Wimpys Little Step earned $185,760, including wins at the 2002 NRHA Open Futurity Championship and 2002 All American Quarter Horse Congress Reining Futurity. His offspring include Wimpys Little Chic ($304,670 LTE), RC Fancy Step ($149,135 LTE) and Wimpys Little Buddy ($130,450 LTE). Wimpys Little Step was bred by Monica Watson of Double Run Farm in Leland, N.C. The flashy palomino stallion has proven himself as an outstanding sire, having produced a Futurity Champion - Wimpys Little Chic - from his first foal crop. That win also made history, as it marked the first time an NRHA Open Futurity Champion had ever been sired by another NRHA Open Futurity Champion. After a successful first foal crop, in 2008, Wimpys Little Step proved that he could do it again. Once again, his offspring had an outstanding Futurity, with both the Limited Open Champion and Reserve Champion being by Wimpys Little Step. In the Non Pro Futurity, Tish Fappani also rode a Wimpys Little Step to the Intermediate Championship title, as well as the Reserve Championship in the Non Pro. Both Flarida and Schols were thrilled to reach their Million Dollar milestones, and Flarida was excited to have reached the goals on the same night. "Mark Schols and I have been friends for years, and reach the status of Three Million Dollar Rider on the same night that Wimp became a Million Dollar Sire is really something," Flarida said. "There's a lot of history there together, and I'm really proud of Mark and what he's done with that horse, and I know he's happy for me. It's neat to get to share something like this with a friend." Flarida is the NRHA's All-Time Leading Money-earning rider, with more than $3 million dollars won and counting. He is just the second rider to earn two million dollars in NRHA competition, and the first-ever NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider. He has four NRHA Open Futurity wins to his credit, and has won nearly every major reining event in the world. Flarida is proudly sponsored by eZall, Pards Western Store, Wrangler, Classic Equine, Purina Mills, Horseware Ireland/Rambo, Bob's Custom Saddles, Leonard Truck &Trailer/Blue Ribbon Trailers and Lubrisyn. For more information, contact kellie@thegreenshirt.com or call 940-626-4250.


	Flarida Ties for Seventh Congress Title Columbus, Ohio – For the past three years, Shawn Flarida has dominated the All-American Quarter Horse Congress Open Reining Futurity. After the dust settled over the 2008 event, Flarida can now make that four in a row. He tied Bryant Pace and All Juiced Up with a 224 on Whizs Chic A Dee to share the Open Futurity title, marking his seventh Congress Futurity Championship overall. Flarida also tied for eighth on Skid Whiz with a 219.5, and tied for 12th on Megas Sugar Baby with a 219. When the checks were tallied, Flarida took home an impressive $33,092.57, including a check worth $1,834 for winning the NRHA Open class on his 2004 NRHA Futurity Champion, Smart Spook. That win put Spook, owned by Rosanne Sternberg, over the $300,000 NRHA earnings mark, making him just the third horse to do so. In fact, all three horses that have now earned more than $300,000 in NRHA reining competition – Einsteins Revolution, KR Lil Conquistador and Smart Spook – have all been shown and won on by Flarida. Prior to the Congress, Smart Spook was just $44 short of the $300,000-mark. “I’m really happy for Rosanne and Spook,” Shawn said after the win. “He’s always been a great horse for me, and I’m glad he’s now got that accomplishment to his name.”
The money took a big chunk off Flarida’s quest to become the first-ever NRHA Three Million Dollar Rider. Prior to the event, he needed approximately $70,000 to get to the goal, and now that margin is cut to just nearly $37,000 (exact figure to be posted after Clemson, S.C., and Congress shows are official). Flarida also won reserve in the AQHA Senior Reining on Spooks Rey Jay, owned by Jimmy Pierce, but the earnings from that class do not count toward NRHA money. During the Friday night Open Futurity finals, Flarida put together a solid run on Whizs Chic A Dee, the same horse that won titles in St. Paul and Tulsa, but the run wasn’t without some hiccups. “On my right spin, I lost my stirrup and that cost us a little bit,” Flarida said after his run. “It was human error, for sure.” Still, Flarida’s score was announced at a 225, but later adjusted to a 224. Competing as draw third Open draw in a field of 24 finalists, Flarida knew he had left the door open a little bit, but it was a tough night for everyone. One by one, the top horses from the go-round all struggled with bobbles in their runs, and as the competition came down to the last few, it was anybody’s game. When Pace rode into the ring, Flarida knew his leading score was in jeopardy. “Bryant has a great horse, and he’s been competitive all season,” Flarida said of Pace, who beat him at The Tradition Futurity in early September. “But any of these guys in the finals could have come in and won. There were some very talented horses here.” Pace put together a smooth run, and his score was announced at a 224 – tying for the lead. While the reining enthusiasts at the Congress hoped for a run-off, the two horsemen decided to share the title. “If this were it, I’d have loved to run it off,” Pace explained. “But we’ve got another horse show coming up here pretty quick, and you have to think about these horses. We both have good mounts for Oklahoma City, and we didn’t want to make them run them again tonight. It would have been nice for the crowd, but I’m happy to share with Flarida.” Flarida was equally proud to share the title with Pace. “We’ve tied each other a lot over the years,” he said. “He’s got a great horse, and I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in Oklahoma City.” The NRHA Futurity is the next stop for Flarida and his top 3-year-olds. With just seven weeks to go until the run for the roses, you can bet that Shawn Flarida will be on top of his game in his quest for a fifth NRHA Futurity title and another record-setting year. Flarida is the NRHA’s All-Time Leading Money-earning rider, with more than $2.9 million dollars won and counting. He is just the second rider to earn two million dollars in NRHA competition, and has four NRHA Open Futurity wins to his credit. Flarida is proudly sponsored by eZall, Pards Western Store, Bob’s Custom Saddles, Wrangler, Classic Equine, Purina Mills, Leonard Truck & Trailer/Blue Ribbon Trailers, Lubrisyn and Rambo/Horseware Ireland. For more information, contact kellie@thegreenshirt.com or call 940-626-4250.